Does anyone have a recommendation for a roadbike that has a shorter top tube than the rest? I have very long legs and a shorter torso, female build obviously. I’ve heard that Specialized, Bianchi, Kestrel Talon, or a bike with a slack top tube angle (eg, 72) would provide a better fit.
Any advice/recos would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks - the long legged lady…
If you can afford it, get a custom frame.
That way you get the short toptube, the bike fit like a glove, and you’re supporting local business
I’m 5’ 9 3/4" (so not quite 5’10"), wear 36" inseam jeans. I’m on a Shiv Medium (Not TT). A lot of people don’t like the looks of the Shiv’s WIDE downtube, but I dig it. Wish I had the aerostem, but alas, my Comp came with the alloy stem and cockpit.
There are several brands offering taller head tubes (specialized ruby, trek domane, cannondale synapse, etc) which will increase stack. Slacker headtube will reduce reach for a given stack, but the steering will suffer. Do you know what stack and reach you are looking for? If you are hard to fit, spend the money on a professional fit (likely on a GURU or similar system) and get your numbers dialed in, then start looking for a bike that fits those numbers…
Remember, use stack and reach instead of top tube. Cervelo’s newer geometry is great for actually reducing reach in smaller sizes.
Problem is on my tri bike - a BMC TM01, size small I’ve been fit at least 7 times on a Retul and my lower back is still giving me problems on a ride over 3 hours and with headwinds. The fitter keeps pushing my seat forward so I’m not reaching as far for the handelbars/tribars and so far my knees are ok, with no knee pain. Since the handelbars are integrated, I don’t think they can move backwards any more…I want to make sure when I purchase a roadbike I don’t have this problem that I always seem to have with my bike fit and reach being too far for me.
Any ideas on how to fix my tri bike? I will post a picture too so you can see the setup.
Colnago road bikes have a short TT and a slack head tube. A size 56 will have a 55 head tube and they’re meant to be ridden with a longer stem or a long reach bar. They also come in every centimeter sizing, 52,53,54,55,56 and so on. A lot of people buy a Colnago based on the TT and come away saying that it handled like crap, but once you ride a properly sized Colnago road bike you won’t want anything else.
have you looked at “endurance”/“plush” bikes?
pinarello ROKH, specialized roubaix, trek domane, etc. they all feel and handle very much like a “race” bike, but dont have ALL the aero features of bikes like the dogma/venge/madone.
endurance bike geometries tend to have longer headtubes, shorter and sloping toptubes, and might work well for long-leg/short-torso types.
I ride at TM01 (Medium Short). I have also had back problems, and been Retul(ed), but I am not a trained fitter. I consider myself to have longish legs for my height. Here is my 2 cents based on what you have described here:
Reach problems shouldn’t be fixed with moving the saddle forward. Saddle position should be determined based on hip angle, flexibility and knee position.
The TM01 Small has a longer reach than the medium short. It also has a shorter stack. It is not well suited to long legged, short torso people, or to people with back problems. That being said, I don’t know how tall you are, or equally importantly how flexible you are.
I try to keep my road bikes (yes, bikes, I am a roadie converted to tri) around 380 reach, which is similar to the reach on my TM01. I find on the road that a longer top tube has been better for my back.
No amount of fitting has solved my back problems. No new frames with smaller top tubes. No shorter stems. Small frames with short stems just made me a poor descender. They only things that helped were:
a. increasing flexibility of my hamstrings and lower back through a proper stretching program; and
b. increasing the fitness of my lower back through weight training. For me this was back extensions with heavy weight.
If you are an Olympic or sprint distance athlete, then problems at 3 hours isn’t all that bad. If you are a half or full iron, then it is catastrophic. Is your position on the TM01 geared towards the lowest front end you can tolerate for your race distance?
Sometimes a shorter reach isn’t the solution. For a bad back, I found a reach where I was close to 90 degrees at my elbows, and then adjusted the stack until I was in a position where my back could handle it. If you have brought the bars all the way in on your TM01, but your pads are still too far out for that arm position, only then do you have a reach problem.
The reality is that riding a bike in an aerodynamic position is hard on your lower back and neck. We all have to ride within our functional limitations, and not positioned to be as aerodynamic as possible. Most of us will never be fit enough to hold the positions the pro’s do.
Problem is on my tri bike - a BMC TM01, size small I’ve been fit at least 7 times on a Retul and my lower back is still giving me problems on a ride over 3 hours and with headwinds. The fitter keeps pushing my seat forward so I’m not reaching as far for the handelbars/tribars and so far my knees are ok, with no knee pain. Since the handelbars are integrated, I don’t think they can move backwards any more…I want to make sure when I purchase a roadbike I don’t have this problem that I always seem to have with my bike fit and reach being too far for me.
Any ideas on how to fix my tri bike? I will post a picture too so you can see the setup.
Fixing the long reach on your tri bike without moving the saddle more forward is going to come down to replacing the integrated handlebars, thats a big job
A pix of you riding would help.
Bring the extensions back but not the bars. As long as you don’t mind that the elbow pads end up a little farther up on your forearm, it may do the trick.
Look at stack and reach, rather than top tube lengths. Top tube lengths can be very misleading. Your reach needs may not be the same as on your TT bike though anyway, so I wouldn’t totally assume you need a comfort bike.
Shorter people all have bike fitting problems, it isn’t a female specific thing, just not many men that short!
Problem is on my tri bike - a BMC TM01, size small I’ve been fit at least 7 times on a Retul and my lower back is still giving me problems on a ride over 3 hours and with headwinds. The fitter keeps pushing my seat forward so I’m not reaching as far for the handelbars/tribars and so far my knees are ok, with no knee pain. Since the handelbars are integrated, I don’t think they can move backwards any more…I want to make sure when I purchase a roadbike I don’t have this problem that I always seem to have with my bike fit and reach being too far for me.
Any ideas on how to fix my tri bike? I will post a picture too so you can see the setup.
Well I’m technically not that short, I’m 5’6" but my legs are longer and my torso shorter than average I guess. I’ve usually ridden a small or 50 frame. I can’t figure out this fit thing!! Thanks!!
Well I’m technically not that short, I’m 5’6" but my legs are longer and my torso shorter than average I guess. I’ve usually ridden a small or 50 frame. I can’t figure out this fit thing!! Thanks!!
For all the bikes, look at the geometry table, and look for “reach.” That’s an indication of how far you’ll reach (stretch your arms.) Shortest on the market is about ± 360. Then look at “stack.” Smaller numbers mean more bent-over. Larger numbers mean more upright. Smallest stack is about ± 490, but you won’t need that.
It’s only an indication, because reach changes as you add more spacers under the stem, and it changes with stems and handlebars. It will let you compare frames though. Changing bars is cheap. Your goal is to be comfortable.
The other numbers in the geometry chart are useful to find out how the bike will handle (bb drop, rake), how your weight balance will be influenced (front center, etc.), but not how the bike will fit.
I’m 5’5", short torso, and a Cervelo 48 (shortest reach on the market) works for me with a normal stem and traditional bars.
I can also ride a Cervelo 51, smallest 700c Felt, Cannondale 48 with “normal” stems.
Specialized gets a bit long, I’d have to get a really short stem.
Some brands have the same reach for the three smallest sizes, all three 2cm longer than competitors.
NOTE: Lower back pain – especially after a few hours – could be an adaption issue. It’s not exclusively a “too much bent over” issue. 3hrs with headwinds you will be pushing and using your glutes. You might need core work.
I initially thought it was a core related issue too, but my core is solid. I’ve been doing weights in the gym for the core over the past few months to see if it makes a difference and it hasn’t. It is definitely fit related.
What does anyone know about the Trek Madone 4.5 roadbike? Do you think these measurements would work for me? I wonder with my current fit problems if the shorter stack/reach will fit me.
Trek Madone 4.5
50cm 52cm Actual Frame Size 50cm ASeat tube 45.0cm BSeat tube angle 74.6 ° CHead tube length 13.0cm DHead angle 71.1 ° EEffective top tube 51.9cm GBottom bracket drop 8.0cm HChainstay length 42.0cm IOffset 5.3cm JTrail 6.0cm KWheelbase 99.6cm LStandover 71.6cm MFrame reach 36.8cm NFrame stack 54.6cm Seat height minimum 62.5cm Seat height maximum 72.5cm
BMC TM01 - Size Small - my current triathlon bike:
Size s tt ht stack reach ha sa rc drop S 503 504 97 480 393 71.5 77 390-410 58
Oddly enough, I just spent a week riding a 4.7 and here were my thoughts:
"Some Quick notes about the Madone 4.7 that I have rented here in Florida:
If you are looking for a soulless plastic bike that rewards you with numb hands and spinal damage, this is your bike. It may corner, climb and descend well, but I haven’t been able to find any of these things here, so I am unable to comment. It moves away from traffic lights with authority, which is good, because the lights last at least 2 minutes here.
This would be a great crit bike. You could lay it down in a corner, walk away and get yourself something else.
It looks nice."
Fit wise, it has a shorter reach and higher stack than your TM01, but the ride is not nice. It would take some seriously soft tires to make this thing pleasing to the lumbars. I would look for a synapse. Lovely ride. Not as nice as a steel Colnago, but good for a plastic bike.
That’s a terrible review! Plastic bike? I thought it was carbon for the most part. Do you like anything in the Trek line up? I know the components are not as nice as my TM01, nor is the frame, but I just want a basic roadbike to use for long rides and climbing.
You are right, it is carbon. I use the word plastic only in its most pejorative sense.
Within the trek line, the Domane is the bike I would choose. It is much more forgiving than the Madone, but still a quick bike. The Domane has the same reach and stack as the Madone (well, at least between the 50cm WSD models), but the Domane has a longer wheelbase (likely a longer front centre) and fits larger tires (key to improving the ride of any bike).
If you have a chance, try both a 50 and a 52. The 52 has only 3mm more reach, but it has almost 20mm more stack. The offshoot will be higher handlebars and a less aggressive position, which should be good for your back.
I hear what you are saying about a strong core, and I don’t doubt that you have been getting some good training in, but my earlier comment about keeping a position that is within your functional limitations is the key. For all I know, you are an elite racer who’s back only gets sore when she is pushing big watts for 3 hours. If you aren’t a pro, don’t try to ride the positions they ride.